How to Find a Freelance Video Editing Professional

So you have some footage you shot of your family or friends that needs editing.  Where do you begin?

Chances are that you may think you can do it yourself.  You may have a simple video editing program right on your Mac or PC.  Today, many of the systems come with the software already installed after purchasing the computer.  You might think that you can use the software to take care of all of your editing needs, but that isn’t always true. 

While you might be able to edit together a few clips of a family outing without needing any more help than a YouTube tutorial or two, if you are in need of someone to edit a truly special or sentimental video such as your wedding video (even your short film), you may want to consider hiring a professional.

The cost of hiring a professional video editing service varies depending on whether you hire someone privately, or go to a commercial video editing company.  However, just because you are on a budget doesn’t mean that you should scrape the bottom of the barrel when hiring a video editor.  You can find some reasonably priced editors in your area that do great work.

There are numerous places online where you can find these video editing professionals. Check some of the freelance sites, such as Guru.com and Elance.com.  They generally have a large number of professionals who can help to edit your video.  It is also worth putting an advert up on oDesk or Craigslist, outlining your project and asking for a quote.  In these tough times, many professional TV and film editors are out of work, and many make their living entirely from doing these small jobs. 

Another good idea is to put an advert up on the website of your local film school, or visit a nearby college or university that does degree level film courses.  Many film students will jump at the chance to make a bit of cash while practicing their film-editing, and the results can be surprisingly good.  Who knows, tomorrow’s next Steven Spielberg or Quentin Tarantino may want to use your vacation video to cut their teeth on!

Whoever you hire, always make sure that you check their resume and view some of their actual work.  Most professional editors have a demo reel or showreel that they will show you if you ask.  Get contact info for their previous clients as well.  You might also be able to find a great editor right in your own hometown.